Thursday, December 18, 2014

Cheapo instant tracker option.

Many of us are using the Spot Tracker or www.GreenAlp.com phone tracker.  Those are both handy and both have drawbacks.

GreenAlp tracks your phone any time you have the
Captured tracks of two riders on LA - Vegas 2014
ap running on your cell phone.   It leaves a very clear path of your route and updates often including GPS location, MPH and the condition of your battery. It also ONLY WORKS WHEN YOU HAVE A CELL SIGNAL!  We discovered that when the guys were in the mountians on the LA - Barstow - Vegas ride.

The tracking can also be turned off from your phone if you need to do a stop-over at Hooters during business hours (or other sticky moment...)

The Spot Tracker is pretty flawless, as long as it can see satellites.  I only lost a couple positions in the Smokies and once in a CA canyon.   But it's not free.
 Subscription with tracking is $150/year and mine renews today.   It includes several messaging options and I wouldn't go out without it... and extra lithium batteries.

Now let's talk about an ap called GeoVerify.  www.GeoVerify.com.  This ap was created to give employees to verify that they had arrived at an assignment at a specific time.  Sorta like a geo-timestamp.  All it really offers is a way for you to
find yourself on a map.   I haven't found a way to share the information with others, but I'm giving them a call to see if that cam be done.   You can email a code to yourself that reports the info to your employer but I don't know how to use that to see the details from the resulting email.  
This would have been really handy when I was totally lost in Minneapolis using Google Maps and trying to reach the fairgrounds for BMW MOA last July.   Google Maps had me going in circles around the Univ Minn campus about 6 blocks from the fairground.   Another time was when friend Allen S drove to my place in IL from FL.  He arrived at 11:00 PM and could only identify his location as "The McDonalds by the Shell Station."   That narrowed it down to about 4 places in this college town... useless.  

At least with GeoVerify you are sent directly to a google map showing your location and the surroundings.

Let's watch the tech places for more and better options in the years to come!

Travel safe,  Jeff




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Monday, December 8, 2014

Picture this... online studio.

Among other things I struggle with trying to be a photographer, a blogger, a motorcycle traveler/camper and have a life on the side...   not a simple task...

One really helpful resource is a website called www.CreativeLive.com .  Today the class that I am watching (on the third computer over there on the right) titled "Sell your First 1000 Books."     Not something that is on my agenda, as such, but the presenter (two 8-hour classroom sessions available live on-line) Tim Grahl is giving a great description on how to share an adventure as a writer...   but I can see it for a way to build my photo business AND a way to become a better writer and story teller.

Another class that is also being offered this week is about discovering your creative self...   thus far I only saw the outline, but it looks to have much guidance on enjoying, understanding and sharing life...   Maybe being house-bound for a few weeks will have an unexpected reward.

Let me take just a moment here to plug my photo website.  www.PhotoKurtz.com.

This month I am re-developing my photo site using www.FineArtAmerica.com.  The prior site on www.ZenFolio.com was pretty but wasn't accomplishing anything.  This site looks to be easier to see more of my stuff and I can price things so people can be more likely to click and purchase prints.

In the interest of expanding the audience looking at my photos I also created a facebook page for PhotoKurtz also.  Today's speaker is advising to create multiple venues for people to find online to start building the audience and referrals.

Next on the agenda is to start building an email roster to connect with an audience on a regular basis.   I have been a www.ConstantContact.com Business Advisor, offering turnkey electronic newsletters for business owners across the nation.  Now I guess it's time to put that tool together for myself.   You can sign up for my soon-to-be-released weekly photo art newsletter at THIS LINK <<<

or:

Sign Up Now

OK... Enough for today... Other than to post and share a photo that I reworked for a friend.
 

Enjoy every day!

Jeff

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Thursday, December 4, 2014

Brief reflection on Trail of Tears Rally




The Southern Illinois Riders Association BMW club hosts the Trail Of Tears Rally annually at the campsite by the same name, located between Anna IL and Cape Girardeau, MO in September.   Donna and I attended, with this being her first rally.  The video, above, is from the dual-sport ride
that took us about 60 miles along levers and some state park campground roads.   Great fun for a casual ride ending up in Cape at Grassroots BMW.  In the course of the ride we had one brake caliper lock up and one flat tire... otherwise it was just a casual day in perfect weather.

Food in the campground cafe was great, along with SWARMS of hummingbirds on the veranda.   Grassroots was to have chili lunch for us but the food was gone before we arrived.   How's that working out for you, Pat Kennedy?

Having said those things... This was the most laid-back rally I have been to in two years.   The people we met mostly were camping in clusters relative to their home area or interest group.   There wasn't a lot of intermingling between the groups, but I guess there's nothing wrong with that.   One group of about 6 guys had dirt bikes they hauled in on trailers... some even on trailers behind motorcycles.  That shared quit a bit of tech ideas on trailering options.


Next group we met were from the St Louis area, including Big Dog who led the dual-sport ride.  Quite a few ex-military people there and plenty of story telling.  They are the guys featured at the end of the video.

If you are looking for a relaxing weekend in a self contained location (meaning food, showers, camping and beds indoors) this is an enjoyable venue!

Jeff






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Saturday, November 29, 2014

Barstow to Vegas, Day II

Will start blogging the day after a few more people are awake and getting ready to roll.   Yesterday I posted news at the top.  Will try to tell the story in chrolonogical order this time.   Someone follow with a spel chequer, Pls.

9:08.  James Valentine appears to be in the lead of the GSG team out in Manix Wash.  #50 on this pic is James spot tracker position.  the #49 is about where Uyt Ughh was at the same moment.

Brian is with Lior Moto repair thinking he has a coil issue.   Not sure where Landon is.  Guessing he's with James.

Rather than post play by play again... I am going to post the actual Facebook dialog of the entire day... 400+ comments from the Racers, the stuck-at-home play-by-play guys and various GS Giant friends around the world.   I know it's lengthy... but here goes:

James Valentine feeling get some gs riders! with Yut Ughhand 5 others at Ramada Barstow
November 29 at 6:23am · Edited
Good morning!!
If your GS/A is sitting at home shinny with the new bike smell, consider attending the LA Barstow to Vegas, beat-em-up-and-how scenic tour! You're guaranteed to have a cold, sweaty, sore, hot, mad, sad time!
Unlike ·  · 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At this point Blogger is going to run out of space if I post the entire dialog...   you can read all 12+ hours of the day at this PDF:  


I will follow up tomorrow with some details learned from the riders after the event.

Ride hard!

Jeff


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